Swings for exercise or amusement have been know to man since ancient times. The earliest swing was likely a climbing vine suspended from a tree. In the recent past, swings were fashioned from ropes, metal cable or chain, and the like. The most common configuration for a swing is a seat platform suspended above the ground by a pair of ropes or chains hanging down from an overhead support structure, such as a tree or constructed frame. The rider sits or stands on the seat platform and induces the swing to move to and fro by rhythmic body movements commonly termed "pumping".
Many instances of injury have occurred to individual riders on a swing. Children, who most often are the swing riders, are common injury victims. Other individual who are in the vicinity of the swing are subject to injury if they inadvertently enter the path of the swinging individual.
A number of innovations have been developed relating to swings or similar amusement devices. The following U. S. patents are representative of some of those innovations.
Gabrielson, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,053,535, discloses a spring suspended frame that holds a standing rider.
A playground swing that holds two riders in an upright position is shown by Grudoski in U. S. Pat. No. 3,145,013.
Klemke, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,207,508, discloses a revolving and translating aerial trapeze with a cage surrounding the rider.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,777 Pruitt, Sr., shows an occupant-propelled plural axis roundabout device with a safety belt for the rider.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,036,489 by Potyondy discloses a swing device that has a seat with a safety belt to hold a seated rider, thus allowing the rider to swing in a 360 degree arc.
A somersault swing that moves along the ground is disclosed by Armstrong in U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,999.
Shingledecker, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,295, discloses a swing device that holds the rider in a prone position relative to the ground.
Thus, there is an unmet need for a swing apparatus on which an individual can ride without fear of injury. There is also a need to prevent bystanders from being injured by the device while the rider is operating the swing apparatus.